An Amateur’s Reference to Counting Cards


What makes chemin de fer far more fascinating than several other comparable games is the reality that it offers a mix of chance with elements of skill and decision-making. Plus, the aura of "card counting" that lets a gambler turn the odds of a game in his favor, makes the casino game much more alluring.

What is card counting?: When a gambler says he’s counting cards, does that mean he is basically retaining track of each and every card played? And do you have to be numerically suave to be a successful card counter? The answer to both questions is "No".

Basically, you aren’t counting and memorizing specific cards. Rather, you’re keeping track of sure cards, or all cards as the case may perhaps be, as they leave the chemin de fer deck (dealt) to formulate one particular ratio number that signifies the make up of the outstanding cards. You are assigning a heuristic point score to every card in the deck and then tracking the total score, which is called the "count".

Card counting is based around the premiss that good cards are beneficial for the player although low cards are excellent for the croupier. There is no one system for card counting – distinct techniques assign unique point values to various cards.

The Hi-Lo Depend: This is one of the most widespread systems. According to the High-Lo method, the cards numbered 2 by means of six are counted as plusone and all tens (which include 10s, J’s, Q’s and K’s) and aces are counted as -1. The cards seven, eight, and 9 are assigned a count of zero.

The previously mentioned explanation of the High-Low system exemplifies a "level 1" counting system. You will discover other counting systems, known as "level 2" techniques, that assign plus2 and minustwo counts to specific cards. On the face of it, this method appears to provide further accuracy. On the other hand, experts agree that this additional accuracy is offset by the greater problems of keeping rely and the increased likelihood of producing a mistake.

The "K-O" System: The "K-O" System follows an out of kilter counting system. The points are the exact same as the Hi-Lo technique, with the addition of 7’s also being counted as plusone. A typical unbalanced counting process is designed to eliminate the need to take into account the effect that a number of decks have on the point count. This multiple deck issue, incidentally, requires a method of division – some thing that most gamblers have problems with. The "K-O" depend was made popular by the book "Knock-Out Blackjack" by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura.

Though it may perhaps seem to become a humungous task to learn how to track cards, the returns, in terms of time put in, are well worth the effort. It is really a acknowledged truth that efficient card counting gives an "unfair benefit," so to say, to the black-jack player. There may be practically no recognized defense against card counting.

Caution: But do remember, that though card counting isn’t unlawful in any state or country, casinos have the correct to prohibit card counters from their establishments. So don’t be an obvious card counter!

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